The Third Wheel Effect
by HopelessRomantic1818
Summary: See, Kairi has this way of gravitating around Sora, like he's the center of her universe. Now that I think about it, Sora does the exact same thing. He may not be good with girls, but he makes Kairi happy. Still, being the third wheel sucks. SoRiKai


Hey people! This is a fic from Riku's point of view! My first KH oneshot, too. It's not very long, but it's how I think Riku views Sora and Kairi's situation. I'll get back to writing Oblivion soon, I promise. But, for now, let this appease you!

**Diclaimer: I own nothing~**

**Warning: Suggestive themes...all in all I behaved though^_^**

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Being the third wheel sucks.

I suppose it was a gradual thing. It didn't just occur to me one day that Sora had finally won one of our games. After all, I always came out the victor. Sword fights, races, spin the bottle, tag, you name it and I could beat Sora senseless.

I should've known that my winning streak couldn't last forever.

At first, I thought that Kairi only gravitated to him because he was the one that found her that day on the beach. She didn't smile more at him. She never laughed more when I wasn't there. She never showed favoritism. But, I guess, I should have paid more attention to the little things.

Kairi has this way of following Sora when he moved. Like he was the center of her universe. If he put his hands behind his head, she put hers behind her back. If he kicked a rock along the beach as we walked, she looked for a rock she could kick. They walked the same pace, never failed to watch the sunset regardless of whether I wanted to tag along, and they especially had infective smiles. One couldn't smile without the other smiling, too.

Now that I think about it, Sora did the exact same thing.

I first noticed their natural adhesion to each other in the secret place. They had decorated the secret place with chalk drawings. Not really a romantic kind of thing, but that cave has always been strangely symbolic to the two of them. Sora and I used it as a meeting place for awhile, but when Kairi came into the picture, I chose to meet at the paopu tree instead.

I was late that particular morning, a few years after they had grown out of the scribbling phase. I heard giggles coming from the cave. I wasn't really sneaking up on them, but I wasn't trying to let them know I was there either.

They were cuddled together staring at the picture of the two of them that they had drawn when they were six. Now, at age ten, I just assumed they were admiring how bad Sora was at drawing. It _was_ pretty pathetic.

See, Sora had never been, and still isn't, good with girls. He wasn't suave or handsome. He wasn't ugly, either, but I doubted he would get girls lining up for his sex appeal anytime soon.

So, with this in mind, I was _extremely_ shocked to see Sora take Kairi's hand in his and whisper, "Hey, Kairi. I think I like you."

Again we were ten and eleven, so to like someone was a big thing. Being "in like" was almost a life changing sort of thing. It ruined friendships and even drove many a child to complete isolation.

I had been "in like" with Kairi for some time now, but admitting it was almost a death wish. I mean, even eleven year olds could understand rejection.

I expected Sora to leave crying. I was working on things to say to make him feel better.

"Can I like you back?"

Kairi sounded so innocent. Sora just grinned and replied simply, "I'd like that a lot."

A pleased peel of laughter. "Okay, then! Sora, I like you, too!"

I decided then that I would never step foot in the secret place again.

That was only the start of Sora's victory. Somewhere along the line, like must have turned into hormonal love. As Sora hit the start of puberty at fourteen, more awkward blushes and stammering came along with daily activity. Especially when we were swimming. Kairi had started "developing" around the age of thirteen, meaning she wasn't flat anymore.

I noticed, of course, but Sora _really _noticed.

Two months after his birthday, a little incident occurred. We were going to swim all day, figuring we hadn't gotten tan enough yet. Sora and I peeled off our shirts leaving them on the beach. Kairi attempted to do the same, often copying our actions.

I guess she forgot she had a bikini on.

The shirt came off, sure, but so did her bikini top.

I had snuck into the high school girl's locker room before, so breasts weren't too new to me. Sora hadn't been with me during that adventure. I was laughing too intensely at Kairi's mortified face to notice that Sora was silent.

With her shirt pressed defensively against her chest, Kairi screamed in horror and cried out, "Oh my gosh! Sora, you're bleeding!"

I turned around immediately, only to burst out laughing again.

Sora was tinted red from his head to his chest. And I'm not referring only to the blush. Blood was leaking from his nose and spilled all over his collarbone. He had a glazed, panicked look on his face and his jaw hung open.

A second later, long enough for me to get my kicks, and nearly fall over laughing, Sora must have realized that half a pint of blood had just left his nose. One hand over his nose, the other on his crotch covering a problem I _hadn't _cared to notice, but one that made my laughing problem that much worse, he took off hobbling toward the shack.

Kairi slipped her shirt back on in a hurry, kicked me in the ass, told me I was a jerk and then ran off to find the poor kid. Later, I found the two of them by the spring next to the secret place. Kairi had dipped Sora's shirt in the cool water and was cleaning the blood off.

"Sorry, Kairi, it's…I just…"

"It's okay, Sora. It happens. No need to feel embarrassed. If anyone, _I _should be the one who's embarrassed."

Sora looked away for a bit. "No way, Kairi. You're much prettier than any girl on the islands. Besides, as your best friends, we shouldn't get…like this…around you."

They were silent for a bit.

"Sora."

He looked over at her, still blushing, but not as much. She kept looking at the water.

"If being your best friend means that I can't like you anymore, than I don't want to be your best friend anymore."

Sora just stared at her for a bit. And then, once more, Sora, who was not good with girls _at all_, surprised me. He scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Kairi.

"S'okay. I like you too, remember? We can still be best friends."

"But, you said…"

He shook his head. "Never mind that. We'll be…geez, what did Riku call it? Oh, yeah! We'll be best friends, with benefits."

Kairi burst out laughing. "Riku says that when he wants to kiss a girl, but not date her, Sora!"

"Well, then we'll have a different meaning! We'll be best friends that still act like best friends, but can like each other, too. Okay?"

"Sure!"

After that, I found that I had become the third wheel. Not completely unnecessary, but not _needed_ either. Our entire first adventure was proof enough. Kairi's heart chose Sora as its vessel. Sora came back from being a heartless only because of Kairi. They left each other with promises to come back to each other one day.

Then, after Sora's one year sleep, when we were finally brought back together again, I watched my two best friends, now grown up into the pre-adults that they were, no longer kids, but not quite done growing yet, hug in a heartfelt reunion.

So, yeah, I had lost the fight for Kairi. But, I guess it was better off that way.

We were leaving on another adventure. One less dangerous, but possibly lengthy. I didn't need to be Kairi's best friend to know she was depressed. She had lost us twice in a row. It would suck to be left behind a third time.

I went to her house the night before we left. I was going to ask her to come with us, regardless of what Sora had to say about it. Her parents were gone for the weekend, so it was pretty easy to pick the locks and sneak inside.

As I neared her room, I heard talking. Arguing, actually. I suppose that Sora would never cease to amaze me. I peered in through the slight crack in the door, only to find Kairi sprawled out atop Sora comfortably, both of them covered only by Kairi's silk sheets. Their clothes were piled on the floor.

"I have a keyblade, too, you know."

"Mmm-hmm."

"I _can_ defend myself."

"Yep."

"I don't care what we face, Sora. I'll tackle it with you. There's almost no chance I'll get hurt!"

Silence.

"You know, Kairi, this is some pretty odd pillow talk."

"I'd change the subject if you'd just say yes."

"Kairi…"

"I won't get hurt! I promise! Oh, Sora, I just can't stay here anymore. I've been waiting for so long already! Please, Sora! _Please?_"

"Kairi, I never said no."

"…huh?"

"I want you to come along, too. I'll tell Riku and the guys tomorrow morning. Pack your stuff and I'll come get you. Hmm. Well, I guess we'll probably go get breakfast or something, so I bit of munny couldn't hurt either."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"_Geez_, you let me off easy. I never win without a fight."

"Yeah, well, I guess you've recently tampered with my resisting skills."

They both started laughing.

"Sora, you are a _pervert_. When did that happen? Were you out flirting the entire time you were gone?"

"Oh, yeah. Let me tell you. Every large body or dusk I came across. Hey, I even flirted with a beserker once."

"Oh, I'm sure. Bet that ended nicely."

"Yeah, it did…three high potions later."

As the laughter died down again, I heard Kairi sigh, "I love you, Sora."

He didn't miss a beat. "I love you, too."

"Goodnight, Romeo."

"'Night, love."

I left that night with a slight smile on my face. And the next morning, when Sora told Donald, Goofy, and I that Kairi was coming with us, we all just gave him a look and taunted him.

"Well, it's about time, Sora!"

And while Sora may not have been, or would ever be, good with girls, he was perfect when it came to making Kairi happy.

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So, that's all^_^ PLEASE REVIEW. Much love. Thanks~


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